Setting up guardrails for the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare will prove challenging, but can help build trust in the technology, panelists said Wednesday.

Dr. Abel Kho, director of the Institute for AI in Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said during a Health News Illinois event in Chicago that AI is going to be ubiquitous, and that it will be “really, really difficult” to make a broad regulatory framework. [Health News Illinois] 

Instead, he said an approach that focuses on specific applications of artificial intelligence makes more sense, such as with prior authorization.

“I think there is a precedent set for states to come in and have a clear, on-the-ground, reality-driven policy, especially around specific domains,” Kho said. “But I think broadly… It's changing too fast, it's too ubiquitous. I think it can be very, very difficult for us to come up with something that's going to be relevant today and in 10 years from now.”

Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, said policymakers are “building the plane as it’s in the air” when it comes to regulating AI. The added challenge is that the General Assembly is a “slow, deliberate” group, and regulations approved when lawmakers return to Springfield early next year may be invalid just a few months later.

Other challenges Morgan flagged include a potential federal ban on states regulating AI, and discussions on the balance between guardrails and tapping into the potential of AI in healthcare.

“(This) provides an opportunity to break down those barriers and to democratize healthcare in a way that we've probably never seen,” Morgan said. “Technology is starting to get there with telemedicine and telehealth, but really, artificial intelligence has so many intentions.”

One potential piece, he said, that lawmakers will consider next spring is how insurers outsource claims reviews to third-party payers that use AI to process claims.

Dr. George Cybulski, chief of neurosurgery and clinical AI leader at Humboldt Park Health, said that physicians are trying to solve problems at the patient level, and that collaboration is needed to craft rules that protect all parties.

Panelists also noted that AI has come much more into the public consciousness in recent years, though the attention has not always been positive.

Dr. Jon Handler, a senior fellow of innovation at OSF HealthCare, said patients are often “shocked” to find out that AI is not being used nearly as much as they think when it comes to medical records and other health services.

He said a key to trust is to have AI for a specific purpose that helps patients and physicians, such as transcription tools and flagging potential mistakes.

“I think in many ways, (patients) expect and are generally happy with the idea that the medical record will serve as a second double-check on the clinician, and to the extent that we make that real, I think that's a good thing that increases trust,” Handler said. “I think the minute they perceive the AI has forbidden them from getting certain care, prevented them from being able to talk to someone they need to talk to, prevented them from getting payment for services they felt they needed at that moment, then we will know that's where the trust in AI for that purpose will be lost.”

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Gov. JB Pritzker signed off Tuesday on a plan to codify recent executive orders to strengthen access to vaccines, regardless of changes at the federal level.[Health News Illinois]

The law makes several changes to the Department of Public Health’s Immunization Advisory Committee, including specifics on who can serve on the board and for how long. It also outlines how the group can advise the state agency on ways to control diseases that vaccines or other medical countermeasures can prevent.

Another provision codifies when eligible providers in pharmacies and other clinical settings can administer certain vaccines recommended by the state agency. Pharmacists cannot give vaccines listed in the state’s immunization schedule to children under the age of seven.

State insurers must cover vaccines and medical countermeasures under the state’s guidelines.

The law also expands the authority of IDPH’s chief medical officer to issue guidance and recommendations on immunizations or medical countermeasures, either in the absence of such recommendations from the agency director or to further supplement recommendations.

Pritzker said during a bill signing in Chicago that the law will continue to bolster the state’s ability to dictate vaccine policy.

“This law empowers IDPH and the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee to safeguard vaccine access and maintain science-based recommendations,” he said.

IDPH issued vaccine guidance this September, which differed from federal policy as it relates to COVID-19 vaccines.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year fired all members of the independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices board. New members of the committee, appointed by Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., have looked to roll back access to COVID-19 vaccines and have raised concerns about some pediatric vaccines.

The new chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices told the Washington Post on Tuesday that the panel plans to vote this week to end universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth and to scrutinize whether childhood shots cause allergies.

Dr. Marielle Fricchione, a pediatric infectious diseases doctor at Rush Children's Hospital and chair of the state-based immunization committee, said they will follow the outcome of this week’s federal meeting and respond “to any changes that are made that are against scientific consensus.”

“I look forward to chairing a committee with more diverse expertise, a committee that's more nimble, a committee that's more empowered to help the state issue evidence-based immunization guidelines,” Fricchione said.

IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said Tuesday that the federal changes have upended the “time-honored processes for evaluating and improving immunizations” and have led to inaccurate and politicized messaging meant to confuse residents.

“We understand that families have questions, especially in times of uncertainty, but it's that much more important that when those questions are presented, that they get access to healthcare based on the most reliable science based information available,” he said.

The law also includes several non-vaccine-related health provisions. That includes tasking the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide a grant to a statewide pharmacy association to support pharmacies across Illinois.

The program would target critical access care pharmacies, independent businesses and those that operate in medically underserved communities. It will be funded by fees collected from pharmacy benefit managers, which were established in the PBM reform package passed this spring.

It also clarifies when the PBM law would apply to Employee Retirement Income Security Act plans.

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Registration is open for the 10th State of Health of Chicago on Jan. 21, 2026 at Maggiano's-Little Italy Chicago- Grand Ballroom. Open to all- Fellows, Members, Guests and Students. More details and to register, click here> 

This is a biennial event, with an interactive panel and includes networking, lively sprits, small plate buffet, and delicious desserts. We expect 200+ attendees. This year's theme:  

Challenges and Opportunities to Advance Our Community's Health. 

Check out the 2023 convening here> . It was a major success- don't delay - register for this year's convening. 

An interactive panel will discuss challenges, barriers and opportunities facing our community that impact advancing health equity and reduce healthcare disparities. 

Seven outstanding speakers & impact leaders: 

Dr. Arti Barnes, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Illinois Dept. of Public Health

Dr. Kimberley  Darey, MD, CEO & President, Edward - Elmhurst Hospital, Endeavor Health System

Mr. Ollie Idowu, JD, MPH, President + CEO, Illinois Primary Health Care Association 

Dr. Simbo Ige, MD, MPH, Commissioner of the  City of Chicago - Public Health

Dr. Doriane Miller, MD, MPH, Director, Center for Community Health & Vitality, University of Chicago Medical Center

Ms. Sana Syal, MPH, Senior Director of Programs & Strategic Impact Leader, Greater Chicago Food Depository

Dr. Lauren Smith, Chief Medical Officer, Cook County Health 

Sponsorship Opportunities available including exhibit tables. Contact us for more information at sponsorship@iomc.org. 

Questions? Send an email to contactus@iomc.org. We will contact you. 

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Hospitals and health systems are rethinking how and where they deliver behavioral healthcare. From emergency department alternatives to school partnerships and integrated specialty care, system leaders are focused on earlier interventions and more therapeutic environments for patients of all ages. [Becker's Behavioral Health]

1. EmPATH units

Leaders have turned to emergency psychiatric assessment, treatment and healing, or EmPATH, units, to triage behavioral health patients away from chaotic emergency departments and into  more therapeutic spaces. 

Several health systems in the U.S. are investing in these units to combat overflowing emergency departments where wait times can reach hours, or even days, in some cases. 

The need for such units had long been recognized, as around 70% to 80% of patients who would require inpatient hospitalization at an emergency department are able to be stabilized and discharged after 24 hours, Scott Zeller, MD, former head of psychiatric emergency services at Oakland, Calif.-based Alameda Health System, told Becker’s in 2012.

Lately, however, system leaders seem to believe the time for EmPATH units has come. In November 2024, Inova Fairfax (Va.) Hospital opened an EmPATH unit, and in March 2025, Charleston, S.C.-based MUSC Health said it had opened the nation’s first pediatric EmPATH unit.

2. School-based services ...

3. Behavioral Health in Specialties...

More> 

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A practical path to align affordability, transparency

As Washington debates whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, the real issue has been strangely overlooked. The right question isn't how much the government should contribute toward premiums, but how those subsidies are structured and how families are allowed to use them. That's where the ACA needs repair, and where recent Republican proposals, including ideas from Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), point toward something constructive.

President Trump recently asked why Americans aren't simply given money to buy healthcare on their own. It's a fair question. The ACA's subsidy structure is so opaque that enrollees rarely see or feel its value. Subsidies flow to insurers through complex formulas, not to households in ways that encourage smart decisions or long-term financial security.

If we want the ACA to be sustainable -- for households, taxpayers, and insurers -- we need to modernize the subsidy architecture, not just extend it.

More>

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For many youths in the US, schools are the most reliable entry point into health care—providing resources for nutrition, vision care, immunizations, and mental health. Many barriers to mental health care—cost, transportation, stigma, long waitlists, etc—can keep families from accessing community clinics, but those barriers are reduced when mental health professionals are embedded in schools. The data show these services matter: school-based mental health (SBMH) services reduce suicide attempts, improve emotional well-being, and even strengthen academic performance.^1-3 And yet, despite clear evidence of benefit, SBMH programs are under increasing threat. As recent budget cuts and policy shifts demonstrate, these vital services remain vulnerable, even as demand for youth mental health care continues to grow. When SBMH supports disappear, the consequences ripple outward, not only harming the students who lose access to care, but also straining families, teachers, and communities who must fill the gaps. [JAMA Pediatrics]

The data are compelling. A landmark meta-analysis¹ of more than 200 school-based programs involving more than 270 000 students found consistent improvements in social-emotional skills, prosocial behavior, and emotional well-being, alongside a significant gain in academic achievement. A systematic review and meta-analysis² confirmed that these interventions yield small to moderate decrements in anxiety, depression, and conduct problems across diverse populations. More recent analyses³ show that school-based programs are not just supportive, but lifesaving: expansion of mental health services in schools has been linked to reductions in suicide attempts and greater use of outpatient mental health care. School health care professionals can see students much more frequently than community physicians, allowing them greater opportunities to identify students in crisis; additionally, school health services can facilitate referrals to community mental health care professionals, which can be particularly helpful for families with limited resources or low health literacy.

These are not marginal gains—they are measurable impacts on child and adolescent health trajectories and, in some cases, survival. 

More>

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development has launched a Continuum of Care funding competition for fiscal year 2025, introducing what officials described as “the most significant policy reforms in the program’s history.” [Becker's Behavioral Health]

The policy shift redirects support for permanent housing toward transitional housing, moving most funding into a nationally competitive pool and elevating faith-based and treatment-centered solutions, according to a news release from the department.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., mobilized federal forces and worked to remove homeless encampments — moves that build on an executive order linking homelessness to mental illness, substance use and public safety.

Here are three things to know:
1) The HUD is offering $3.9 billion in competitive grants through the fiscal year 2025 Continuum of Care Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity.

2) HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced the funding with support from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Paula White, senior advisor to the White House Faith Office.

3) The department will now require 70% of projects to compete for funding, ending automatic renewals for most programs.

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The strain, known as subclade K, has led to an increase in flu cases in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan. Now, signs suggest it is beginning to take hold across the United States as flu activity rises.

Health Day News — A new flu variant spreading overseas may set the stage for another tough winter in the United States, experts warn.[MEDPAGE Today]

According to the latest US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) FluView report, reported flu activity in the United States remains low but is climbing quickly.

CDC FluView webpage>

Last year’s flu season was the worst the United States had seen in nearly 15 years and led to at least 280 child deaths, according to the CDC.

Most cases this year are from the H3N2 virus, and about half of those belong to the subclade K variant, the same strain that fueled a difficult flu season in the Southern Hemisphere.

Because it wasn’t circulating widely when strains were selected for the vaccine update, this year’s flu shot targets close strains of the virus.

“It’s not like we’re expecting to get complete loss of protection for the vaccine, but perhaps we might expect a little bit of a drop-off if this is the virus that sort of dominates the season, and early indications are that’s probably going to be the case,” Richard Webby, a researcher at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, told CNN.

Early findings from the UK Health Security Agency suggest the variant carries seven genetic changes on a major part of the virus, making it a bit harder for the body’s immune system to recognize.

Even so, they found that the flu shot has reduced the risk of hospitalization or emergency care by about 75% in children and 30% to 40% in adults so far this season.

What worries experts even more is that fewer Americans appear to be getting the flu shot.

Data from IQVIA shows that pharmacies gave 26.5 million flu vaccinations from August through October, down from 28.7 million during the same period last year.

“I’m not surprised,” Jennifer Nuzzo, professor of epidemiology and director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, said.

She said recent debates about vaccine safety have “left people confused, but possibly at the worst have left people worried about getting vaccinated.”

Australia’s flu shot rates also fell this year, and the country went on to record more than 443,000 cases.

“What they saw in Australia was that they had a bad season. And so it’s concerning for you and us, what’s coming,” Dr Earl Rubin, division director of infectious disease at Montreal Children’s Hospital, told CNN.

Several early indicators already show flu levels rising in the US.

The WastewaterSCAN network found type A flu in 40% of samples in November, up from 18% in October, according to Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor in the department of environmental health at Emory University in Atlanta.

Only 4 US monitoring sites in Maine, Vermont, Iowa, and Hawaii have officially crossed the threshold for declaring flu activity high, but experts say the trend is clear.

While it’s not yet clear whether subclade K could cause more severe illness, a rise in infections alone could cause hospitalizations to skyrocket, Dr Rubin noted.

“It’s not too late. Go and get your flu shot,” Dr. Adam Lauring, chief of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School, in Ann Arbor, said.

These results are preliminary and have not yet been peer-reviewed.

More> 

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The longstanding public health practice of adding fluoride to community drinking water is facing heavy scrutiny in the United States over questions about whether the benefits outweigh the potential risks. But new research challenges recent claims about the risks of fluoride in drinking water — and instead suggests that it may have additional positive effects. (CNN) 

The heightened federal debate was spurred by a recent government study from the National Toxicology Program that concluded that high levels of fluoride exposure are linked to lower IQ in children, but that study evaluated fluoride exposures that were at least twice the federally recommended limits with notably “insufficient data” to determine the effects of lower levels.

The new study looked at more typical, recommended levels of fluoride in drinking water and instead found “robust evidence” that young people exposed to fluoride at these lower levels actually performed better on ​cognitive tests than their peers who did not have fluoride in their drinking water.

Dr. Rob Warren, lead author of the study published in the journal Science Advances on Wednesday, said he was “shocked” by the findings from the National Toxicology Program study and motivated to provide research that was more relevant to public policy decisions.

More>

As long wait times, dissatisfaction with clinical interaction and high healthcare costs continue to plague behavioral health, teens are tapping on AI chatbots for mental health support. But without the proper guardrails, the bots may suggest harmful activities instead of guiding teens toward appropriate help, according to a Nov. 20 report from The Wall Street Journal. [Becker's Behavioral Health Report]

Common Sense Media and Stanford (Calif.) Medicine’s Brainstorm Lab for Mental Health Innovation collaborated to test how well four AI chatbots handled mental health conversations with distressed teens. 

Here are six things to know:

1. Many teens use generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Meta AI as emotional outlets or substitutes for limited access to therapy. 
2. In the study, researchers posing as teens shared symptoms of self-harm, disordered eating, mania, hallucinations and paranoia. The chatbots frequently failed to recognize the severity of these signs or escalate users to professional help. 
3. In several simulated conversations, chatbots offered advice on hiding scars from self-injury or suggested diet and exercise tips to teens showing signs of eating disorders. 
4. While chatbots responded appropriately to direct, one-off questions, their ability to maintain safety guardrails declined in longer, more realistic interactions that mimicked how teens actually use the tools. 
5. OpenAI, Google, Meta and Anthropic all acknowledged the issue. Some said the study predated key safety updates, while others emphasized their tools are not designed for minors or that they have added age-based protections. 
6. Despite some improvement, Common Sense Media concluded that AI chatbots are still unsafe for teens seeking mental health help, especially given how easily teens may mistake chatbot validation for clinical support. 

More>

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